I Have Chronic Inflammation, and This Is My Go-to Meal

If you have health conditions that cause chronic inflammation in your body, you’re not alone. I have struggled with this all of my adult life, and one of the most challenging side effects for me is the impact of inflammation in my gut. It causes quite a few issues, including a case of IBS and the occasional inability to digest the foods I love, like big salads. I love their textures, and as an Italian-American, anything coated in vinegar tastes good to me.

That’s why it deeply hurt to hear my gastroenterologist tell me that raw vegetables weren’t the easiest for my body to digest when it’s inflamed. Luckily, I found a very simple solution that keeps my stomach happy: a warm salad. Cooking the vegetables to help make it easier for my body to break down has unlocked a whole new salad world. I start with a base of cooked greens, add grains, and then whatever toppings I crave, like squash and feta. While it takes just a bit more prep work, it’s just as tasty as a crisp salad and works so much better on cold winter days. Because I rely on these salads so much, I require a few kitchen tools to make the perfect warm salad. You’ll find they come in handy, too. Shop my salad essentials, from bowls to nontoxic cookware, starting at $30. 

Warm Salad Essentials 

Y Yhy 6-Piece 30-Ounce Pasta Bowl Set

These pasta bowls are the perfect vessel for the entire salad. They are just the right size and shape, with a 30-ounce capacity and a shallow yet wide design that keeps everything tucked in. Aside from the design making it easy to get the perfect bite, I find that it helps hold the heat better than if I were to serve my salad on a plate. I love to layer my greens, tossed with a grain, dress them in the bowl and then add my toppings. They’re microwave-safe if I need to reheat meals and can go right into the dishwasher, too—a big win if you ask me.  

Nordic Ware Big Sheet Pan Set

The key to making produce easier on my body is cooking it, and a roasting pan is essential for that. These Nordic Ware big sheet pans are my favorite pick because they can handle bulk cooking. They measure 21 by 15 inches, with a 1-inch lip to keep everything from spilling out. Their aluminum design heats and browns everything beautifully, and they’ve lasted me for years with minimal wear and tear. I use these pans for greens like cabbage, kale and broccolini, as well as ingredients like squash. With two in this set, there’s enough to meal prep multiple batches at once, which I love. 

GreenPan x Bobby Flay Cast Iron Grill Pan

If my salad base is romaine, radicchio or endive, I usually grill it using this grill pan. I prefer to get good sear marks across the leaves rather than roast them entirely for better taste and texture. This cast iron pan, a collaboration between GreenPan and Bobby Flay, makes it incredibly easy. It’s nonstick, heats evenly and I love its size and shape. It has 11 inches of space, with plenty of room for what I need. And because it is square, there’s plenty of surface area for longer ingredients like romaine. For just $35, you can’t really go wrong. 

Calphalon 3.5-Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan

One ingredient that’s non-negotiable for me on my warm salads is a cooked grain or seed. My favorite is quinoa, as it’s a true powerhouse. It’s packed with a whole lot of nutrients and is a complete protein. I’ve also used farro, millet and even wild rice. It helps with the texture and satiety of the salad. I usually opt for a stainless steel pot to cook the grains myself,  and this Calphalon pick is one of our absolute favorites. We ranked the entire cookware set as our overall favorite nontoxic cookware set on the market. This 3.5-quart saucepan is the perfect pick to cook those tender grains and seeds, maintaining the hallmarks we love about these pieces, from its clever design to its optimal heat retention.